2026 Trade / FA Thread

[Harry O]

Him getting injured isn't inevitable. And when he's not injured he's still a good forward. He was playing with an injury last year. He had a ligament strain in his foot. Trained fully once in September - loaded up on anaesthetic.

He is averaging about 5 possessions a game this season. We would hang McStay for that output

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

You’re giving King too little credit and McStay far too much.
Dan might be doing a bit better in GC’s forward line, but to say he wouldn’t be far off Ben King who is currently averaging 4 goals a game is taking an enormous amount of piss. McStay in Collingwood’s very functional forward line of 2023 was averaging about what he is right now.
No player in this day and age, no matter how good their midfield is, averages 4gpg without having exceptional forward craft. King would straighten us up like nothing else, to say we wouldn’t benefit from having him is bonkers.

I'm not trying to say we wouldn't benefit at all

I'm saying I don't think we'd benefit to an amount befitting what we'd pay for him

 

[Pistol Night]

He is averaging about 5 possessions a game this season. We would hang McStay for that output

We hang every campaigner except Nick most weeks

 

[stormskye]

We hang every campaigner except Nick most weeks

TD had the noose around Elliot’s neck at halftime

 

[Pistol Night]

TD had the noose around Elliot’s neck at halftime

Yeah i tuned out around then. Every campaigner was gong psycho as usual and i got scared

 

[sr36]

He is averaging about 5 possessions a game this season. We would hang McStay for that output

9 - about what he did in 2022 and one less than 2023.

I've got no issue with Dan (except some brain fades). I just don't think Membrey gives a good enough contest in hotspot.

 

[sr36]

We hang every campaigner except Nick most weeks

Play the kids FFS. Until we've played them enough and then slightly older blokes become more kid-like than them.

 

[BillyElliott]

Yeah i tuned out around then. Every campaigner was gong psycho as usual and i got scared

That's another positive about being at the game. No game day thread.

I only venture over sometimes during an interstate game. And I always regret it

 

[Pistol Night]

9 - about what he did in 2022 and one less than 2023.

I've got no issue with Dan (except some brain fades). I just don't think Membrey gives a good enough contest in hotspot.

Definitely not. You need to at least try and halve the contest and bring the smalls in. Dans the only big body we've got down there.

 

[granniewolf]

Definitely not. You need to at least try and halve the contest and bring the smalls in. Dans the only big body we've got down there.

I think we'll be seeing quite a bit of Oscar down there in future, does he count as a big body?

 

[Pistol Night]

I think we'll be seeing quite a bit of Oscar down there in future, does he count as a big body?

Absolutely. I forgot about the Big O. Hes looks as competent as anyone down there for us this year as a contested mark. Few massive clunks

 

[sr36]

I think we'll be seeing quite a bit of Oscar down there in future, does he count as a big body?

Hell get more good looks though if he gets to jump at them rather than being wrestled with in the drop zone.

 

[Pistol Night]

Hell get more good looks though if he gets to jump at them rather than being wrestled with in the drop zone.

Good luck spoiling him with his vertical leap once he learns leading patterns and getting some isolation

 

[sr36]

I'm not trying to say we wouldn't benefit at all

I'm saying I don't think we'd benefit to an amount befitting what we'd pay for him

Unfortunately it's not that easy that we get to sit back and pick. If we can get a significant boost to either our midfield or forward line, I'll be happy. I'd go forward line, as I don't think it's as hard to get a cheap oldie for the midfield.

 

[granniewolf]

Good luck spoiling him with his vertical leap once he learns leading patterns and getting some isolation

Steene's VFL best

Watch 201cm ruck Oscar Steene's best VFL moments from his 37 games in black and white, ahead of his AFL debut.

www.collingwoodfc.com.au

 

[Scodog10]

He is averaging about 5 possessions a game this season. We would hang McStay for that output

It’s 9 v McStay’s 8.

This is one of those rare occasions it’s hard to disagree with Carl though. Checkers has never struggled early season, but has seemed to get the speed wobbles on his season post bye basically every year since Fly started. With the way he plays 26-27 weeks of footy takes a massive toll.

Edit: from 22-25 he kicked 143 goals 95 were pre bye at 2.1 per game and 48 were post bye at an average of 1.4.

 

[Magpie Ink]

The only way I think Port wouldn't match the offer and force a trade for Butters is if they completely fall off a cliff and finish bottom two.
Because lets be honest, he's only going to a team that will be a chance for finals/flag and any 1st round picks from those sides are more likely to be in the teens.
They'd receive pick 2 or 3 as compensation which may be better than what they could get in a trade.

 

[soreplums]

Media keeps talking about how we haven’t scored 100 points since Round 18 last year and how Brodie would make a difference, but I’m pretty sure Brodie played in every one of those games in 2025 bar one.

 

[TradeDraft]

TD had the noose around Elliot’s neck at halftime

and he got the Message

 

[Axl the great]

I don’t get the love for Walter, been a disappointing player for mine.
It has to be King, he’s a star and proven enough now, if not him I’m taking Amarty over Walter as well.
Hypothetically though if you could have any key forward in the game right now for us I’m taking Cadman every day and twice on Sunday.

 

[nickyds35]

Interesting observation…

The best group of young forwards in the compo were all drafted outside the top 30 of the draft or in the mid season drafts over recent years:

- Morris, Trembath, Shanahan, May

 

[magpies42]

I think you've got to be good across all 3 lines. I think it'll take something like King to make our forward line good. Whereas with Nick there already a solid piece or two rather than a star can give us a good midfield.

Absolutely, but if you look at most premiership midfields they are stacked with A grade talent. We really only have Nick as a full timer in that under 30 category. I guess what I’m saying is we are further away from completing our midfield than we are our forward line. You can get away with one key forward gun, our big issue will be replacing Elliott when he retires.

I think if we could land Butters that should be the priority, then a toss up so best available option between mid and key forward. I don’t think we can manage both King and Butters in this trade period with the picks we have to trade.

 

[frizzle]

and he got the Message

Jamie probably shouldn’t be reading your posts on Big Footy at half time.

 

[Dtennent94]

Interesting observation…

The best group of young forwards in the compo were all drafted outside the top 30 of the draft or in the mid season drafts over recent years:

- Morris, Trembath, Shanahan, May

Cadman, Darcy

 

[The Phantom]

Attempting to take off the Collingwood blinders for one second, how many here actually believe we're a genuine chance of getting Butters?

Because I'm not sure how we could pull it off.

The only possible scenario I see Port Adelaide even remotely entertaining (and not necessarily accepting), is:

• This year's first, whatever that may be
• Next year's first
• Beau McCreery

The reason I say this is because I expect Port to match any offer we throw at Zac, forcing us to trade.

I don't think Hawthorn and the Bulldogs will have any better draft hand than we would? (unless I'm forgetting something) given they will both most likely finish higher than us this year.

We also seemingly have more cap space than both.

That’s the deal.
Maybe add some pick swaps and a fringe player or two.
And expect a third club involved.

But the essential ingredient your missing is Butters has to come out and stoically declare: GET ME TO COLLINGWOOD.

Without that, it doesn’t happen.